Seafood Lasagna

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I made this a few weeks ago for lunch and had rave reviews. Many of you emailed wanting the recipe. I’m sorry it took me this long to sit down and type it up, but a lot of my recipes are in my head and I have to sit down and put them to paper before I can share them. Once you make this recipe one time, you’ll see how easy it actually is and it can be whipped up on the fly in the future. It’s an excellent dish to impress friends at a dinner party and it reheats well so take the leftovers to work and make everyone jealous.

  •  1 box lasagna noodles
  • 1 package of pre-cooked, peeled shrimp, thawed, tails removed
  • 1 package or can of lump or claw crab meat, picked for shells *see my trick below*
  • 1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or any larger piece bread crumbs (not bread crumb dust)
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
  • 1 cup button or baby bell mushrooms, sliced & sauteed in a little butter or olive oil
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 package Italian shredded cheese blend (parmesan, mozzarella, asiago, etc)

Sauce:

  • 5 tbsp butter, melted
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 4 cups milk (or use half & half for richer sauce)
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

First make the sauce as follows:

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring often, until roux turns sandy brown, 4-5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk/cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens (consistency of biscuit gravy). Remove from heat and stir in the salt, garlic powder and nutmeg. Set aside.

Prepare lasagna:

In a large, deep baking dish, pour enough sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna pasta on top of the sauce (uncooked pasta). Top lasagna layer with shrimp, crab, bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning. Top seafood with 1 cup of cream sauce. Add second layer of pasta, then add the sauteed mushrooms and leaf spinach. Top with 3rd layer of lasagna pasta. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the dish. Seal tightly with plastic wrap, then cover plastic wrap with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is bubbly and pasta has cooked. Remove foil and plastic wrap. Sprinkle top with cheese and allow to melt. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

** Trick to pick crab meat for shells**

Crab meat is cooked as part of the canning or packaging process. Therefore it’s ok to “heat it up”. Spread crab meat in a thin layer on a baking sheet and put in a 300F oven for 5-10 minutes. Any shells in the crab meat will turn bright pink/orange and can be easily removed. If you’re in a hurry, just work the crab meat in your hands and pick out any shells. These days, unless you buy really cheap crab meat, most of the shells have already been removed.

Chicken Supreme over Low Country Cheese Grits

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Several years back when I represented Bruno’s Supermarkets, I participated in the “Taste of the Summit” food exhibition at The Summit shopping center in Birmingham. This elegant take on a southern favorite, creamed chicken and grits, was my featured recipe for the event. I also cooked this one on Good Day Alabama’s morning cooking segment in 2002. In this recipe, I take a few fresh ingredients that are everywhere in the south come summer time and incorporate them into the dish. The “grits recipe” is the same recipe I use with I make “shrimp and grits”.

For Chicken Supreme:

  • 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into pieces
  • 1 # boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, diced (or you can skip this step and pick up 1 rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and remove the meat from the bones)
  • 2 cups fresh corn (removed from the cob)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp fresh Thyme leaves

In a small sauce pan, combine the corn and milk and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain corn, reserving the milk.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until brown and crispy. Remove bacon and reserve. In bacon grease, cook the chicken until done (5-6 minutes) and remove from the pan. To the bacon grease, add the butter and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes, then add the warm milk you cooked the corn in and the heavy cream. Cook, stirring quite often, until mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the chicken and cooked corn.

Serve chicken over a bowl of cheese grits. Top the creamed chicken with crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes and fresh thyme leaves.

Low Country Cheese Grits:

  • 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup grits (quick cook are best, but NOT INSTANT)
  • 1 cup Mexican or Taco Blend shredded cheese

In a stock pot, cook the bacon until brown and remove bacon from the pot. To the bacon grease add the chicken stock and cream and heat until just boiling. With liquid starting to boil, whisk in the grits and cook, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to let the grits “bubble” on your hand as the boiling grits have the consistency and temperature of LAVA.

Remove grits from the heat and whisk in the cheese. Add the crumbled bacon to the cooked grits.

Creamy Tomato-Basil Pasta with Chicken

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I’ve been asked to offer more pasta dishes at the Chef’s Table in the cafe at work, so this week I’m making a rich and creamy tomato basil pasta with a small side salad dressed with my great grandmother’s simple Italian dressing. This is a one-dish dinner for those of you looking for something quick and easy to prepare after work.

  • 3 cups uncooked Penne pasta
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (in bottle on dressing aisle of grocery store, Kraft makes one, I prefer the Publix brand)
  • 4-6 boneless skinless chicken tenders
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth (from can)
  • 1 tsp each black pepper and garlic powder
  • 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped or 2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 4oz Neufchatel cheese, cubed (Philadelphia makes one that’s available near the cream cheese on the dairy aisle of the grocery store, comes in an 8oz block so you can make this recipe twice from one)
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside in a large bowl (or I personally just put it back in the pot I cooked it in and use that in place of a bowl for easy cleanup).

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken tenders and cook 4-6 minutes or until thoroughly cooked through. Remove the tenders and dice them into bite-size chunks. Add the wine to the pan to “deglaze”, swirling around and scraping up any burnt bits that are on the bottom of the pan. Add the vinaigrette, spinach, grape tomatoes, basil leaves, chicken broth and the Neufchatel cheese in that order, then add the garlic powder and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium low and cook, stirring constantly, until a creamy thick sauce is produced (3-4 minutes). Add the diced chicken to the sauce and combine.

Pour the sauce/chicken mixture over the pasta and toss well to combine. Sprinkle each plate with the shredded Parmesan just prior to serving.

Serves 4

Simple Italian Vinaigrette:

This is how my great grandmother made a simple Italian vinaigrette to dress salads on a daily basis.

Put 1 clove of garlic in a coffee cup. Add 1/2 tsp salt and crush the garlic and salt together with the end of any kitchen tool that’s blunt enough to do so. Add the juice of 1 lemon and enough olive oil to incorporate.

Asian Citrus Vinaigrette

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Let me apologize to my customers at work for the delay in getting this recipe loaded to the site. In all honesty, the vinaigrette on the salad we had this week was something I threw together just before we opened, so I had to go back and re-create it for a recipe.

  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (regular is too salty)
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar (I used brown sugar but honey would be more palatable)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

In a glass bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, honey/brown sugar and garlic. Mix well with a whisk. While continuously whisking the vinaigrette, add the olive oil in a continuous stream until well incorporated. Add sesame oil just before tossing with salad greens.

* sorry there is no picture for this recipe, I will take one and load it the next time I make the vinaigrette

California Salmon or Chicken Salad

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Here are the recipes for today’s “Chef’s Table” lunch from work. Today I featured a California Grill Salmon Salad with Pear-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette. This salad can be made with either salmon fillets or boneless-skinless chicken breasts by following the same recipe and substituting the protein of your choice. The salad composition is up to your liking. The recipe below lists the way I prepared it today with alternate suggestions in parenthesis.

First, make your dressing. To make the dressing you need either a food processor fitted with standard blade or a blender.

Pear-Infused Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 can pear halves in heavy syrup
  • 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup EV olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black or white pepper
Put the canned pears and their syrup in the food processor or blender and puree. With the machine continuously running, add the garlic, salt and pepper, then add the vinegar. Pour the oil in a steady stream into the running machine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Maple-Glazed Salmon or Chicken
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup (or you can substitute 2 tbsp dark brown sugar)
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
Combine ingredients and pour over your choice of boneless chicken breast or salmon fillets and marinate for at least 1 hour. For salmon, bake in 325F oven for 15 minutes. For chicken, cook until internal temp reaches 165F either in the oven, saute pan or on the grill.
California Salad 
  • Spring mix lettuce
  • Diced red bell pepper
  • Shredded carrots
  • Sliced red onion
  • Dried cranberries (or fresh blueberries)
  • Sliced fresh strawberries (or canned Mandarin oranges)
  • Crumbled Bleu cheese (or goat cheese or Feta)
  • Candied coated Walnuts (or pecans, almonds)
  • Maple glazed salmon (or chicken)
  • Pear-infused balsamic vinaigrette
In a large salad bowl, add enough spring mix for total number of salads you would like to serve. Add to the lettuce the red bell pepper, carrots and onion. Pour 2 tbsp vinaigrette over the salad mixture and mix well to coat. Put coated salad greens in your serving bowl. Sprinkle with a handful of dried cranberries (or fresh blueberries), then arrange some sliced strawberries on the salad. Sprinkle liberally with bleu cheese crumbles, then a few candy-coated nuts and finally top the bed of salad with either maple glazed salmon fillet or a grilled breast cut into strips. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the protein and serve. Garnish with some thinly sliced green pears if available.

Asian Cabbage Salad

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It’s official.. I’m 40 and fat! In an attempt to lose some weight, I’ve been trying to eat healthier food. We’ve been buying a lot of fish and chicken in place of red meat and pork, and we’re watching our fiber intake. Lower fat and higher fiber seem to be the new trend in weight loss, along with exercise.

Tonight we’re having some grilled tuna fillets that are marinating in an Asian-inspired sauce right now. To go with our fish, I whipped up this refreshing Asian style salad. It’s flavorful and high in fiber, but it does have some fat because of the peanut butter. Still, it’s a healthy alternative to a high fat side dish and it’s delicious… and simple. Simplicity is my main requirement when I find or create a recipe, because now that I spend my whole day in a kitchen at work, I like to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible in the evenings. Give this one a try and I think you’ll be pleased with the results!

 

  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp each salt, garlic powder and ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 6 cups shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw) mix OR 4 cups coleslaw mix and 2 cups broccoli slaw mix (which is how I made it)
  • 1 cup fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced
  • 1/2 cup coarsely shredded, peeled jicama
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • fresh cilantro

In a large mixing bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing together everything from the peanut butter to the water. Toss in the slaw mix and fold well to combine. Add peas, jicama and green onions. Toss and cover. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Garnish with toasted almonds and cilantro.

Makes 6-8 servings

Mediterranean Chicken

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A few years back, I was the chef at an establishment where half of my customers would be on Weight Watchers about this time of the year, so I would offer a low-fat, healthy lunch option daily in the cafe. I created this recipe and it has been one of my “most requested” by customers at every place I’ve worked. In fact, most are surprised to learn this is actually a healthy, low fat recipe!

When you first read the ingredients, you may question this one, but everyone does. Once they try it, they are hooked. I made it this past week at work (first time at newest cafe) and everyone has been asking for the recipe. As you read the recipe, several things are “optional” ingredients. They add to the dish, but they are not required, as I’ve made the recipe with those items and without, depending on what I’ve got in my pantry. Give this one a try and you’ll agree it’s really quite tasty, and for those of you “counting points”, this one is 7 points!

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you can use boneless tenders)
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup raisins (any color)
  • 1 cup green or black olives, sliced (don’t use ripe black olives.. you want tart, brine soaked olives so it’s best to stick with regular old pimiento stuffed spanish or queen olives unless you want to drop a few bucks on some kalamatas)
  • 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained (optional)
  • 1 4oz container Feta cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom of a glass casserole dish with olive oil and arrange chicken in one layer in the dish. Size of the dish depends on size of your chicken. A 9×9 will normally hold 4 breasts, a 13×9 might be needed if you use boneless tenders. Top the chicken with the minced garlic.

In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, cinnamon and salt, then sprinkle mixture on top of chicken. Top chicken with the raisins and olives and pour the wine over the top. If using the artichoke hearts and Feta, add it last in that order.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

Serve with rice, couscous, fresh spinach, sauteed broccoli, etc for a light complimentary dinner.

Turkey Divan

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So the holidays are over and you’ve got a big dish of leftover turkey in the frig. You’ve eaten turkey sandwiches for days, made (or froze turkey for) turkey noodle soup, which I highly recommend, and you’re still stuck with a lot of leftover turkey. Why not make turkey Divan for dinner tonight? This dish can also be made with chicken, allowing you to make it any night of the week. Just cook the chicken any way you prefer (boil, grill, bake, etc) and substitute it for the cooked turkey in the recipe.

This is an old Southern standby dish, extremely easy to prepare with a few ingredients most of us have in our pantries at all times.

  • 1 can (10oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bunch of fresh broccoli florets, steamed or 1 package of frozen broccoli florets, cooked for half the time recommended on the packaging
  • 4 cups leftover turkey, cut into chunks (or 4 cups cooked chicken)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup toasted almonds
  • 1/4 cup coarse bread crumbs (I use Panko)

Mix together the soup, curry powder, pepper, mustard, Worchestershire sauce and cream in a saucepan over low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, turkey and half the cheese (1/4 cup) and remove from the heat. Stir in the mayonnaise, mix well and pour into a casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cheese and almonds as garnish when serving.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

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These cookies are my favorite! I don’t have a “recently prepared” photo to show them off but I found this stock photo that’s pretty close to the finished cookie. These cookies almost remind me of gingerbread but they are better. As soon as I make a batch, I’ll post a better picture. This recipe was written in my great grandmother’s (Fortunata Vizzina Schilleci) hand.

  • 2 pounds all purpose flour (4 cups)
  • 1 pound of sugar (2 cups)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp each, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice
  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3/4 pound Shortening (1 1/2 cups + 3 tbsp)
  • 1 pint milk, heated
  • 1 cup raisins (no color specified)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • juice from 2 fresh squeezed oranges

Melt the shortening; add the warm milk, then the sugar. Sift all remaining dry ingredients together and then add the pecans and raisins. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Pinch off in a small ball the size of large marbles, place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Combine the powdered sugar and orange juice in a bowl. Once cookies have cooled, dip each cookie into the sugar glaze so that it covers the top 1/2 of the cookie. Let cookies dry completely. Icing will set like glaze on a cooled doughnut.

Makes 60-75 cookies.

Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

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This has to be one of the easiest Christmas cookie recipes ever! They are delicious though, which makes it that much better that they are so easy to make.

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 3oz package of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract
  • Candied cherries or toasted pecan halves for garnish
  • Dusting of powdered sugar (optional)

Cream the butter and cream cheese; slowly add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk. Add the flour and vanilla, mixing well with a large spoon. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Shape the dough into 1″ balls with your hands, and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Gently press a candied cherry half (red or green, or mix them up) or a toasted pecan half into the top of each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cookie won’t take on much color on top, but will be golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.